


Two Boys

by LocalVodkaAunt



Category: One Piece
Genre: Falling In Love, M/M, Pre-Timeskip, i like the face touching thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 18:17:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15442971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LocalVodkaAunt/pseuds/LocalVodkaAunt
Summary: It makes him feel weird. Like the moment is fragile and precious, something to be tucked away and only taken out in the quietest of nights to be marveled at.(or: two boys, one night, lots and lots of stars)





	Two Boys

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for zolu week 2k18 over on tumblr. The prompt was "subtle" . 
> 
> I really love this two, they make everything better. If you enjoyed this or if you have criticism, feel free to drop a line. If you wanna follow me on tumblr for more fangirling, it's zorotrash. 
> 
> Anyway, here you go.

It’s subtle at first. There are looks he doesn’t know he’s throwing, the urge to smile every time the other boy does. He barely notices how he slides just a little bit closer every time they settle for the night. The boat is small and in the third week there’s not much space left between them. It’s probably not true, but sometimes Zoro thinks he can almost feel Luffy’s warmth, Luffy’s breath on his face as the other is sleeping.

 

It makes him feel weird. Like the moment is fragile and precious, something to be tucked away and only taken out in the quietest of nights to be marveled at. And Zoro doesn’t know why. He has no idea why he’s here, why Luffy’s wide grin, the screaming determination, his absurd strength made such a huge impression on him that the direction he had followed so willingly all his life suddenly changed.

 

It seems like he is getting lost, as usual.

 

And it’s the tiny things, stolen grins, smiles that tuck on the corner of his mouth. The exhilarated laugh while they are running head on into a fight. The way Luffy throws himself at his opponents, utterly fearless, and the pure joy he feels when he knows that the other boy is beside him.

 

Zoro  has never been so alive, so aware of every passing second.

 

The first time Zoro calls Luffy Captain -  and actually means it - goes like this:

 

It’s a starry night when the sea is quiet and they are maybe ten days away from the last island they anchored on. They are both hungry. Luffy has just confessed he doesn’t know where he is going. But neither does Zoro. So he just lets himself get carried, knowing they will end up somewhere.

 

“Are you mad at me?” Luffy asks into the dark. The only noise they can hear are the tiny waves rolling against the bow of the boat, how they get swallowed by the ever hungry sea again.

 

Anger is something that hasn’t occurred to Zoro. Up until now he’s been fascinated, overwhelmed, sometimes exasperated. But never mad. Because he has chosen, and he chooses every day, to stay at Luffy’s side, to honor his commitment and see this through until the very end. Being carried by the waves and the fickly winds.

 

So he answers: “No. But I am really hungry.”

 

Luffy giggles. “Yeah, me too. I could eat a whale all by myself!”

 

Zoro grins, knowing the other can’t see him. He was always proud of how much control he has about his body. It’s different with Luffy. The other boy does what he wants when he feels like it, impulsive and reckless, the second he thinks of something and wonders about the consequences later.

 

Zoro turns his head sideways and tries to make out Luffy in the starlight.

 

That’s when it happens.

 

It has been almost nothing before now. A thought, a flutter, barely noticeable and he never dwells on it. But now, under the stars and with only the moon to watch, he half sees, half imagines Luffys face, his lips a smile. It’s only an inkling in the darkness, but Zoro senses that Luff is close, just millimeters away from him.

 

It’s like the first time Zoro sees him. It’s vague and the most beautiful thing he has ever laid eyes on.

 

His breath falters and a shiver runs through his body, even though it’s a warm evening.

 

“I just want us to be together,” Luffy carries on. But his voice is quieter now. Zoro doesn’t know why. Luffy is always so sure, he knew Zoro would stay even before he knew it himself because if Luffy wants something, he gets it. And if the other pirate wants him to stay, then he will stay. Until fate forces him to leave.

 

But until then, until Luffy is King of all the Pirates and they will be at the top of the world, they will sail on.

 

“Idiot,” he says, trying to play it off but failing, sounding way too fond in the process. He doesn’t  know how to respond when the answer has been so clear since the first time their eyes met.

 

They are tied together through every night on the open sea, through every fight and every predatory grin they share when times get rough. He will be here until it consumes him, until Luffy swallows him up completely. And he will hunt every bit of that fuzzy feeling that spreads through his chest and fills his heart until he feels it’s going to burst in the meantime.

 

“You’re an idiot,” he tries again. “Don’t you know I’ll follow you everywhere?”

 

Ha takes a deep and shaky breath. Hearing it out loud makes it sound true and absolute. Regardless of how much he complains, he will go with Luffy wherever he goes, even if he dies on the way.

 

“I’d go to the bottom of the sea, if you would want me to,” he adds, “Captain”.

 

As long as it’s Luffy asking, he finds, he doesn’t mind where he will end up. His life and his way are the other boy’s to decide now. He gave Luffy his dream and the other will protect it with all his might.

 

Luffy laughs again. “I’m glad,” he whispers, uncharacteristically silent for a boy that is usually so loud and boisterous.

 

Zoro can only feel what happens next because his eyes are still fixed on the contours of Luffy’s face. But then he feels the warmth of Luffy’s skin on his. He is confused, frightened for a second, until he can make out the pressure of Luffy’s fingertips on his cheek and although he still can’t make it out clearly he feels the other boy’s burning gaze on him.

 

“Being pirate king would be sure as hell boring without you,” Luffy breathes. His voice is gentle, gentler than Zoro has ever hear him. When his thumb strokes Zoro’s cheek, his touch is soft, oh so soft.

 

But, Zoro thinks, as Luffy runs his fingers through his green hair, it may be soft, but there is nothing subtle about it anymore. It’s like a contract, like every time skin meets skin, his body feeling Luffy’s, they will be bound together even tighter, for better or worse, hell or high water.

 

Its soft, and its lasting, but there’s nothing small about it anymore.

 

And Zoro somehow feels that fits them better. They are pirates after all.


End file.
